Diascia plant named ‘Balwhisdarco’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct  Diascia  plant named ‘Balwhisdarco’ characterized by its dark coral-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and vigorous, mounded, and spreading growth habit.

Latin name of genus and species of plant claimed: Diasciabarbarae×Diascia integerimma×Diascia mollis.

Variety denomination: ‘Balwhisdarco’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofInterspecific Diascia plant hereinafter referred to by the cultivar name‘Balwhisdarco’.

The new cultivar originated in a controlled breeding program duringautumn 2000, at Guadalupe, Calif. The objective of the breeding programwas the development of Diascia cultivars with a well-branched, spreadinggrowth habit, continuous flowering, and medium green-colored foliage.

The female (seed) parent of the new cultivar was the proprietaryInterspecific Diascia breeding selection designated 1624-1, notpatented, characterized by its large pink-colored flowers and bush typehabit. The male (pollen) parent of the new cultivar was the proprietaryInterspecific Diascia breeding selection designated 1646-1, notpatented, characterized by its coral-colored flowers and prostratehabit. The new cultivar was discovered and selected by the inventor as asingle flowering plant within the progeny of the above stated cross inthe spring of 2002.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by terminal stem cuttings sincespring 2002 at Guadalupe, Calif. and West Chicago, Ill. has demonstratedthat the new cultivar reproduces true to type with all thecharacteristics, as herein described, firmly fixed and retained throughsuccessive generations of such asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new cultivar has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions to date. Accordingly, it is possible that the phenotype mayvary somewhat with variations in the environment, such as temperature,light intensity, and day length without, however, any variance ingenotype.

The following characteristics of the new cultivar have been repeatedlyobserved and can be used to distinguish ‘Balwhisdarco’ as a new anddistinct cultivar of Diascia plant:

-   -   1. Dark coral-colored flowers.    -   2. Medium green-colored foliage.    -   3. Vigorous, mounded, and spreading growth habit.

Plants of the new cultivar differ from plants of the female parentprimarily in flower color and plant habit, and from plants of the maleparent primarily in flower color and plant habit.

Of the many Diascia cultivars know to the inventor, the most similar tothe new cultivar is the cultivar Diastina, U.S. Plant Pat. No. 13,932.However, in side-by-side comparisons, plants of the new cultivardiffered from plants of ‘Diastina’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller flowers than plants        of ‘Diastina’.    -   2. Plants of the new cultivar have smaller leaves than plants of        ‘Diastina’.    -   3. The flowers of the new cultivar are a different color than        those of ‘Diastina’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying photographs show, as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same in color illustrations of this type, typicalflower and foliage characteristics of the new cultivar. Colors in thephotographs differ slightly from the values cited in the detaileddescription, which accurately describes the colors of ‘Balwhisdarco’.The plants were grown for 11 weeks in a greenhouse at West Chicago, Ill.

FIG. 1 illustrates a side view of the overall growth and flowering habitof ‘Balwhisdarco’.

FIG. 2 illustrates a close-up view of an individual flower of‘Balwhisdarco’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of colors described herein is TheR.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society, London, England,2001 edition, except where general color terms of ordinary significanceare used. The color values were determined on Oct. 9, 2004 between 10:00and 11:00 a.m. under natural light conditions.

The following descriptions and measurements describe plants producedfrom terminal stem cuttings of stock plants and grown in a doublepolycarbonate-covered greenhouse under conditions comparable to thoseused in commercial practice. The plants were grown at West Chicago, Ill.in 10 cm pots for 11 weeks while utilizing a soilless growth medium.Greenhouse temperatures were maintained at approximately 62°-75° F.(17°-24° C.) during the day and approximately 52°-60° F. (11°-15° C.)during the night. Greenhouse light levels were maintained at 5,000 to8,000 footcandles during the day.

-   Botanical classification: Interspecific Diascia cultivar    Balwhisdarco.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Interspecific Diascia breeding            selection designated 1624-1, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Proprietary Interspecific Diascia breeding            selection designated 1646-1, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type cutting.—Terminal stem cutting.        -   Time to initiate roots.—Approximately 6 to 9 days.        -   Time to produce a rooted cutting.—Approximately 3 to 4            weeks.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Crop time.—Approximately 5 to 7 weeks from planting of a            rooted cutting in a 10 cm pot.        -   Habit of growth.—Vigorous. Freely branching with branches            forming at every node.        -   Form.—Spreading, trailing.        -   Size.—Height: Approximately 19.9 cm. Diameter (area of            spread): Approximately 47.9 cm.        -   Branch description.—Quantity: Approximately 29 flowering            branches. Strength: Moderate. Shape: Square in cross            section. Length: Approximately 28 cm. Diameter:            Approximately 1.8 mm. Internode length at middle of branch:            Approximately 3.5 cm. Texture: Glabrous. Color: 144A.        -   Foliage.—Quantity per branch: Approximately 9. Fragrance:            Slight. Type: Simple. Arrangement: Opposite. Leaf            orientation to stem: Right angle. Shape: Ovate. Apex: Acute.            Base: Cordate. Margin: Broadly serrate. Venation pattern:            Pinnate. Leaf length: Approximately 1.7 cm. Leaf width:            Approximately 1 cm. Texture of upper and lower surfaces:            Glabrous. Color of mature foliage: Upper surface: 137A with            venation of 144C. Lower surface: 138B with venation of 144C.            Petiole length: Approximately 8 mm. Petiole diameter:            Approximately 0.8 mm. Petiole texture: Upper and lower            surfaces: Glabrous. Petiole color: 144C.-   Flowering description:    -   -   Time to first flower.—Approximately 5-7 weeks after planting            of rooted cutting.        -   Flowering habit.—Freely flowering.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Type: Terminal clusters.        -   Size.—Length (depth): Approximately 4.4 cm. Width:            Approximately 5 cm.-   Flower description:    -   -   Lastingness of a single bloom.—Approximately 4-5 days.        -   Quantity per inflorescence.—Approximately 6.        -   Type.—Solitary, not persistent, five lobed, zygomorphic,            with two nectar spurs.        -   Fragrance.—None.        -   Aspect.—Concave.        -   Shape.—Obovate.        -   Flower size.—Width: Approximately 1.6 cm. Length:            Approximately 1.7 cm. Depth: Approximately 8 mm.        -   Petals.—Quantity: Five, two upper petals and three lower            petals. Type: Imbricate, fused at base. Aspect: Cupped.            Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire. Appearance: Iridescent. Color:            Upper and lower surfaces: Closest to but lighter than 39A.            Indentation at base of upper petals: Length: 3 mm. Width:            3 mm. Color: 3A.        -   Two upper (banner) petals.—Length: Approximately 7.3 mm.            Width: Approximately 4 mm. Texture of upper and lower            surface: Glabrous.        -   Lateral petals.—Length: Approximately 6.5 mm. Width:            Approximately 6.5 mm. Texture of upper and lower surface:            Glabrous. Sharply curved nectar spurs form at base of each            of the lateral petals.        -   Nectar spurs.—Length: Approximately 7 mm. Diameter at base:            3 mm. Diameter at tip: 0.7 mm. Texture: Glabrous. Color:            51B.        -   Lower petal.—Length: Approximately 1 cm. Width:            Approximately 1.1 cm. Texture of upper surface: Glabrous            except glandular where petals are fused. Gland color: N186A.            Texture of lower surface: Glabrous.        -   Sepals.—Quantity: 5. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin:            Entire. Length: Approximately 4 mm. Width: Approximately            1 mm. Texture: Upper/inner surface: Glabrous. Outer/lower            surface: Moderately glandular pubescent. Glands are            colorless and translucent. Color of upper and lower surface            is 143B.        -   Calyx.—Shape: Five pointed star. Length: Approximately 3 mm.            Diameter. Approximately 6 mm.        -   Peduncle.—Strength: Strong. Aspect: At acute angle to stem.            Length: Approximately 2 cm. Diameter: Approximately 0.5 mm.            Texture: Moderately stipulate glandular. Glands are            colorless and translucent. Color: 143B with overlay of 183B.        -   Bud (at first color).—Shape: Globular. Length: Approximately            5 mm in length. Diameter: Approximately 5 mm. Texture:            Stipulate glandular. Color: 51B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: There are 4 stamens per            flower. Filament length: 3.6 mm. Filament color: Between 79B            and 79C. Filament texture: Glandular. Anther shape: Oval.            Anther length: 0.8 mm. Anther color: 12C. Pollen amount:            Abundant. Pollen color: 13A. Gynoecium: Pistil number: One            per flower. Pistil length: 4 mm. Stigma shape: Round. Stigma            length: 0.3 mm. Stigma color: 5C. Style length:            Approximately 1.7 mm. Ovary length: Approximately 2 mm.            Ovary color: 143C. Ovary texture: Glabrous.-   Seed and fruit production: Neither seed nor fruit production has    been observed.-   Disease and pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens or pests common    to Diascia has not been observed.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Interspecific Diascia plant named‘Balwhisdarco’, substantially as herein shown and described.